Southeast Asia cruise opinions

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

So we booked a 10 day cruise to Southeast Asia with the following ports.

 

Singapore

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City (phu My), Vietnam

Bangkok (laem Chabang), Thailand

Ko Samui, Thailand

 

The more research we do the more I am unsure whether we want to keep this cruise. It seems like the ports are not close to the cities, there aren't many excursions listed and the port of call board is pretty quiet.

 

We thought it would be a neat destination and even booked a suite to celebrate my 50th birthday and 20 year annivesary.

 

Has anyone done this cruise and what are your opinions. I am going to next to check out the cruise review section.

[Aussie Gal]

You have booked a very Asian cruise. If you have never been to Asia before, you will be in for a bit of a shock as it is very different from the Caribbean or the U.S.

 

The only port where you tie up right beside the city is Singapore and that is not what is classed as a "true" Asian city anymore. It used to be back in the 70's but it just like any other Western city except is hot and humid and the cleanest city on this planet.

 

The other ports are as you say quite away from everything. I haven't been to Kota Kinabalu but I know is where the Orang-utans are found, though you have to travel to see them. The actual town has markets and a mosque which is well known but little else.

 

Nga Tran is a beach resort and has a huge Buddha. I would look up Trip Advisor to see what you can do in that port and also go to the Ports Section on C.C.

 

Ho Chi Ming City is a bustling city with lots to see but unfortunately you are on a large ship which cannot go right up the Mekong so it docks about 90 minutes away which is hopeless if you only have a day to explore it.

 

The same goes for Bangkok. Again you are too far away to really spend time in Bangkok and as the traffic is worse or just as bad as in Vietnam, you won't see very much in a day even if you manage to get to the city.

 

Finally, Ko Samui which is a lovely island but it is a tender port and therefore with a large ship, it will take quite awhile to tender in. The tours do not show the beauty of this island though if it is your first visit, you can take an Elephant Ride, go to the big Buddha etc.

 

I would think twice about this itinerary. We have been to Asia more times than I can count as it is so close to here and if it were me, I would look for a cruise line that has the smaller ships, such as Azamara and Oceania, Silverseas and Seabourn, so that you can get right into the cities which are so very interesting.

 

Of course they are a lot more expensive though if you have booked a suite, the normal balcony on these ships will work out at a similar price.

 

Also factor in lots of humidity and heat. All of the ports are very close to the equator and depending on the time of the year, you could also expect rain which comes down in buckets due to the monsoons.

 

Hope this helps a little, though reading through it, it does sound quite negative. We love Asia but we know what to expect and we have been on many cruises where people have been disappointed with what they have seen.

 

Jennie

[shepp]

Honestly, if you're interested in actually seeing the region, you might look at overland travel - just through Vietnam, for example. The main tourist route through Vietnam is well-established and easy enough to manage on your own, or you can join an organized tour. You'll see a lot more, and get a much better feel for the country.

 

My husband and I spent six weeks traveling independently through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos a few years back and with a few exceptions (e.g., the border crossing into Cambodia), it was a lovely experience. Sure, cruising is highly enjoyable. But it's not the only way of seeing the world. Or even the best.

 

For example, on our Japan cruise, the Big Highlight, a day in Kyoto, was drastically whittled down due to a shipboard emergency. I was certainly grateful we'd already planned to spend three post-cruise days there, and we could have spent even more. But there were a lot of passengers who were bitterly disappointed, and I can't say I blame them. It's one thing to miss Princess Cays, another to miss Kyoto.

Edited January 2, 2017 by shepp

[katisdale]

The only one of the cities on your list that we have been to is Kota Kinabalu. We thoroughly enjoyed this port. We went to the zoo with some trepidation as reviews were quite mixed. All of the animals we saw with the exception of the tiger, who although apparently well fed was alone and pacing, were well cared for and apparently well fed. The orangutans were the highlight. Since they were in the zoo it was not necessary to travel a great distance to get there.

[Skai]

Always looking for new regions to cruise, Asia has been on the radar for some time now as one of the contenders for our next sailing. (From a personal preference)Considering similar itineraries, Princess would not be my first goto -- as other mainstream lines offer much better itineraries in the region.

 

That stated, after having researched it extensively and for some of the same concerns listed here, I'm not really sure that it wouldn't be a better region to do a land-based visit instead of a cruise.

 

Cruises are a great option to visit locations that can only be reached by air or sea.....or at locations where the ship is able to port/tender closer to the main areas -- allowing for enough time to take in some of the attractions w/out feeling rushed.

 

The idea of spending (realistically) 3.5-4 hrs in RT travel from gangplank to central Ho Chi Minh city or central Bangkok doesn't seem like a very relaxing day or a reasonable way to enjoy the sites that these large cities have to offer.